Washing machine and valve therefor

ABSTRACT

An improved machine for washing vials, ampules and the like is provided with a series of critically located apertures in a rotatable valve plate that sequentially registers with accurately located ports for water, steam or air, rinse fluids and for drainage.

United States Patent Rudolph N. Price 59 Mill Spring Road, Manhasset, N.Y. l 1030 Oct. 9, 1968 Mar. 9, 1971 Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented WASHING MACHINE AND VALVE THEREFOR 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI. 134/98, 134/171, 137/625.l5 Int. Cl B67c l/00 Field of Search 134/98, 171; l37/625.l5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,662,761 3/1928 Smith 137/625.15X 1,971,767 8/1934 Caserta l37/625.l5X 3,040,777 6/1962 Carson et al. 137/625.15 3,353,545 11/1967 Price l34/171X 3,422,848 1/1969 Liebman et al. 137/625.15

Primary ExaminerRobert L. Bleutge Attorney-Leonard H. King ABSTRACT: An improved machine for washing vials, am-

pules and the like is provided with a series of critically located apertures in a rotatable valve plate that sequentially registers with accurately located ports for water, steam or air, rinse fluids and for drainage.

PATENTEDHAR slsm 3.568.690

SHEET 1 0F 5 INVENIOR. AUOOL PH N. PRICE PATENTEDHAR slam 3.568.690

SHEET 3 0F 5 G- I00 000.0 M pQ/C ATTO'APIVEV PATENTEUMARIBII 3,568 690 SHEET 5 [IF 5 A TTURNEV WASHING MACE AND VALVE THEREFOR This invention relates to devices for washing ampuls and the like and in particular cycle control valves therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,658,011, issued Nov. 3, 1953, both apparatus and a method of handling and washing ampuls and vials in packed lots are disclosed. The aforementioned patent also reviews in great detail the need for such washing as well as the method of handling both the ampuls and the vials. While this will not be discussed herein, a brief description of the environment of this invention will facilitate an understanding'of the problems involved and the solution provided.

A glass manufacturer normally ships ampuls to a pharmaceutical company, for example, in one gross cartons containing nine rows separated by paper board dividers. Each row contains 16 ampuls. A rack is placed over a box of ampuls and the box is inverted leaving the ampuls arrayed in the rack. The rack containing the ampuls is then placed in a washing machine with the open neck of each ampul positioned in opposition to an injector needle. It is also conventional to wash the outside of the vials and drain the wash water to an outlet which also receivesthe waste injector wash water.

The number and placement of the needles conforms exactly to the number and placement of the ampuls. All of the needles together. with a mounting plate define a washing head which is replaceable and interchangeable with other washing heads for differently sized and differently placed ampuls. A gasket is normally employed-to seal the washing head to the housingor sink." The washing cycle may include a silicone coating step, if desired, and after the washing cycle is completed the rack, together with the ampuls, is removed from the machine and the ampuls filled by other equipment.

The prior art washers have presented several problems to the pharmaceutical industry. The solenoid valve heretofore used in the washing apparatus regularly developed leaks in service and required frequent and substantial maintenance. In addition, the leakage of the solenoid valves in the off position caused partial vaporization of the wash water and, after a period of time, deposition of solids in the washer.

It has also been found that the prior art devices, having a common intake manifold under the needles, do not provide a sufficiently effective drainage system for the wash water. It is essential that complete drainage of the intake manifold be effected because parenteral solutions must be chemically pure and free from contaminating particles. While tap water may be used in the washing cycle, it is important that it does not become mixed with the fluid used in the final rinse. Tap water, of course, contains varying amounts of solids (chemicals) and, if traces of these solids are left in the ampuls or vials, the solids will contaminate them and show up as water marks after the ampuls or vials are dried and ready to be filled.

In order to have the ampul or via] chemically clean" the manifold under the needles must be completely drained of the prior used washing fluid and either distilled water or steam.

used in the final rinse. However, large quantities of distilled water are costly and, in some laboratories, not readily available. The present invention obviates the need for distilled water by providing complete draining of the intake manifold. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive and readily available tap water may be used in the final rinse.

My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,545 issued on Nov. 21, 1967 solved the leakage problem and reduced the required maintenance and cleaning by means of a simple, yet effective and trouble free valve. A rotatable cam plate opens and closes a pivotably mounted, gravity operated flapper valve in suitably timed relation to the cycling of the water and steam or air that is directed against the ampuls or vials. The cam plate is a disc that has grooves in one surface, the grooves being arranged to alternately engage and disengage the tail of the flapper valve to pivot the flapper valve between the closed and open positions. The automatic, high speed washer disclosed in my last mentioned patent also provides a relatively leakproof valve which in combination with a sloped chamber, assures substantially complete drainage of the valve and the intake manifold. The wash cycle is comprised of directing tap water against the vials and ampuls, draining the valve and intake manifold and then directing steam against the vials. The cycle is repeated in the same sequence and then an extra blast of steam is directed against the ampuls or vials.

While my latest patent, described briefly above, is very efficient and effective, it has been found desirable to improve the structure. One area that lends itself to improvement is the flapper valve. The present invention eliminates the flapper valve and replaces it by a series of critically located apertures in a rotatable valve plate that sequentially register with accurately located ports for water, steam or air, rinse fluid such as silicon compound, and for draining. Thus one moving part is eliminated with an attendant reduction in machining and assembling costs. An additional beneficial effect of the present invention is that the washing apparatus is no longer limited to operation in the horizontal position. Instead the apparatus can be placed in a vertical position and can, if desired, accommodate two sinks. Further the number of complete wash and rinse steps for each revolution or cycle of the cam plate can be increased without increasing the size of the washer apparatus and at the same time a separate rinse step can be added.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved washing machine for use in washing vials, ampuls and the like.

A particular object of this invention is to provide an improved, automatic valve for the aforementioned washing machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve for the aforementioned washing machine that is less costly to manufacture and simpler to assemble.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a valve for the aforementioned washing machine that permits a greater number of wash and rinse steps for each cycle of operation without increasing the size of the apparatus or the length of time of one complete cycle.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which forms an integral part thereof.

In various FIGS. of the drawing, like reference characters designate like parts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view, partly in section illustrating the relationship of the components of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view, on a reduced scale showing the relationship of an ampul and a needle disposed in a washing head;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional elevational view of the washing apparatus on an enlarged scale taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is another sectional plan view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, elevational view illustrating a switch mechanism for starting and stopping the cycle of the apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the improved valve plate used with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation on a reduced scale of the several steps comprising one complete wash cycle; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a modification of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST EMBODIMENT As in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,545, the present invention is to be used with a boxlike structure commonly known as a sink which has support legs depending from each corner and a hold down screen that prevents the ampuls from blowing off the needles during the washing. The screen is adjustable in height for different sized ampuls. Two washing heads may be located inside the washer and the valve drive assembly to be described in detail hereinafter is located below the washer housing. With the exception of the valve drive assembly, the foregoing structure is not illustrated herein. Reference may be had to my US. Pat. No. 3,353,545 for a more complete disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates the manner is which a typical ampul A is placed in position to be washed. By inverting the cardboard container in which the ampuls are delivered by the manufacturer, the ampuls A are placed in a transfer plate 20 with the open ends thereof facing downwardly and resting in a threading plate 22 having a number of conical seats 24. The open end of each ampul A is now in opposition to a needle 26 and is ready to be washed. The needles 26, which are hollow, have their lower ends threaded into a mounting plate 28 such that the interior of the needles, and therefore the interior of the ampuls, are in communication with a manifold 30 formed in the bottommost portion of the sink. A sealing gasket 32 is also provided and a passageway 34 communicates with a valve assembly to be described hereinafter.

Screws 36 (FIG. 4) secure a valve assembly, generally designated by the reference character 38, to the underside of the sink. The valve assembly 38 has a body portion or housing 40 that is provided with an annular seat 42 to receive an O- ring 44 so that a cover plate or baffle 46 may be positioned against the underside of the sink in sealing relationship thereto. The baffle 46 includes a central opening 48 that is in registry with passageway 34 to provide communication between the manifold 30 and the valve assembly.

With reference now particularly to FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 it will be seen that a sidewall of body portion 40 includes a wash water inlet 50 that is in direct communication by means of passageways 52 and 54 with wash water discharge ports 56, 58 and 60. Steam or air inlets 62, also formed in a sidewall of the body portion 40 and coupled by a conduit schematically represented as 64, communicate by means of passageways 66, 68 and 70 with steam or air discharge ports 72, 74, 76 and 78. A rinse water inlet 80 is also formed in a sidewall of the body portion 40 and communicates by means of a passageway 82 with a rinse water discharge port 84. Finally a drain 86, communicating via passageway 88 with a drain port 90 is also provided in the body portion 40. For a purpose to be described later, ports 56, 58, 60, 72, 74, 76 and 78 are all located on a common diameter a while ports 84 and 90 are located on diameters b" and c," respectively.

Each of the nine ports just mentioned terminates in an enlarged portion to provide seats for a resilient O-ring 92 and a Teflon scraper ring 94 (FIGS. 1, 3 and The inside diameter of the scraper rings 94 are selected in accordance with the flow rate desired for the particular medium. Thus the specific flow rates of the wash water, the steam or air and the rinse water, as well as their relative flow rates with respect to each other can be accurately and inexpensively set merely by selecting a scraper ring 94 with a suitably sized internal diameter. The O-rings 92 and the scraper rings 94 provide communication between their respective ports and a chamber 96 that is formed by the space above the scraper rings 94 and below the cover plate or baffle 46.

A central drive shaft 100 is rotatably joumaled in body portion 40. Axially spaced O-rings 102 provide sealing means about the drive shaft 100 and thrust bearings 104 assure smooth rotation of the drive shaft. Washers 106 retain the thrust bearing 104. Positioned below the body portion 40 and keyed to the drive shaft 100 are a spur gear 108 and a cam 110 which are prevented from axial movement by a washer 112 and lock nuts 114. The drive shaft is hollow and includes a fitting for insertion of a lubricant such as a silicone grease to assure a long, troublefree life to the washer apparatus.

It should be noted at this point that the cam 110 is mounted at a specific angular position with respect to the valve plate that will be described subsequently. A snap-action switch 116 (FIGS. 4 and 7) is suitably located on the underside of the body portion such that a detent 1100 on the periphery of cam 110 can, at appropriate times, engage the leaf spring 116a of the switch 116 and either open or close the switch, depending on the physical characteristics of the switch 116. A motor 118, also mounted on the underside of the body portion 40 is electrically connected to the switch 116 so that it is either energized or deenergized when the switch position is changed. A pinion 120, integral with the output shaft 118a the motor 118, is in meshing engagement with gear 108 and arranged to rotate the drive shaft 100. A fan 122 that is also driven by the motor output shaft 1180 is also provided for cooling purposes.

Turning now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, it will be seen that the extreme upper end of the drive shaft includes a transversely positioned flange 124 that includes an integral locating pin 126 which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and in a direction towards the bottom of the apparatus. A valve plate 130, which in combination with the several portions mentioned above, comprises the valve assembly of this invention. The valve plate 130 is provided with a centrally located, counterbored hole 132 to receive the flange 124 and the body diameter of the drive shaft 100. Further, the transverse shoulder defined by the counterbored hole 132 includes an aperture 134 to receive the locating pin 126 whereby the valve plate 130 is coupled to and has a very definite angular relationship with respect to the shaft 100, the cam 110, cam detent a and therefore with the switch 116.

As shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 8, the valve plate 130 is provided with several very accurately located apertures, the function of which will be explained during the subsequent discussion of the mode of operation of this invention. At this time, however, only the physical relationship of the valve plate apertures with respect to the ports mentioned above will be explained. First, a small cluster of apertures 140 are located on the same diameter a as ports 56, 58, 60, 72, 74, 76 and 78. Second, a group of three angularly spaced apertures 142, 144 and 146 are located on the same diameter 12" as port 84. Third, a group of five angularly spaced apertures 150, 152, 154, 156 and 158 are located on the same diameter 0" as port 90. By making apertures 140 relatively small, say in the order of one-eighth inch diameter and arranging them in a cluster instead of using one larger diameter hole, distortion of the Teflon seal is prevented. When a single three-fourths inch diameter opening was used, the pressure of incoming water tended to lift the seal so that the edge of the hole in the rotating disc picked up and distorted or crushed the seal. When the apertures 142, 144, and 146 are aligned with the rinse port 84 a full blast of rinse fluid impinges on the ampuls. As will be explained hereinbelow, drainage of the wash and rinse fluid is accomplished when apertures 150, 152, 154, 156 and 158 are registered with drain port 90.

MODE OF OPERATION The mode of operation of this invention will be explained in conjunction with FIG. 9 which is subdivided into a series of discrete steps labeled l-XII. Between each step the motor rotates the valve plate as indicated by substeps la- XIla. It is to be understood, however, that the rotation of the valve plate 130 is continuous during any one complete cycle and the several steps l-Xll are separated by the substeps la- -Xlla only for purposes of explanation. Further, only those apertures and ports that operate in each step are illustrated in FIG. 9 in order to simplify the description.

Assuming that 9, various discharge ports are oriented as in FIG. 5, that is with the wash water port 56 at approximately the 2:00 o'clock position, then the sequence of operation, as

illustrated by steps l-Xll in FIG. a, would be as follows when the valve plate 130 is rotated counterclockwise:

l-Clustered apertures 140 register with wash water port 56 and aperture 142 registers with rinse port 84;

Ia-valve plate 130 rotates;

lI-aperture 1S0 registers with drain port 90;

Ila-valve plate 130 rotates;

III-clustered apertures 140 register with air or steam port Illa-valve plate 130 rotates;

IV-clustered apertures 140 registers with wash water port 58 and aperture 144 registers with rinse port 84; lVa-valve plate 130 rotates;

V-aperture 1'52 registers with drain port 90;

Va-valve plate 130 rotates;

Vl-clustered apertures 140 register with air or steam port VIa-valve plate 130 rotates;

VII-clustered apertures 140 register with wash water port 60 and aperture 146 registers with rinse port 84; VlIa-valve plate 130 rotates;

VII-aperture 154 registers with drain port 90;

VIIa-valve plate 130 rotates;

IX-clustered apertures 140 register with air or steam port 76; IXa-valve plate 130 rotates;

X-aperture 156 registers with drain port 90;

Xa-valve plate 130 rotates;

XI-clustered apertures 140 register with air or steam port XIa-valve plate 130 rotates:

XII-aperture 154 registers with drain port 90; and

XIIa-valve plate 130 rotates.

As compared to the prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,545, there is provided an additional wash water and air or steam injection and yet the size of the apparatus is not increased nor is the elapsed time of the entire cycle lengthened. In contrast to my just mentioned patent, a separate injection of rinse water is associated with each injection of wash water. A typical timing chart is shown below. The Arabic numerals, other than the time in seconds, refer to the various ports described hereinbefore while the Roman numerals refer to the several steps illustrated in FIG. 9.

addition to eliminating the flapper valve, provides not only an increase in the number of wash water injections but also permits the addition of a series of rinse fluid injections. All of this is accomplished in the same size apparatus and without lengthening the time of the complete cycle.

FIG. 10 schematically represents a wash apparatus setup made possible because the gravity operated flapper valve shown in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,545 has been eliminated and also because the rotating valve plate is not limited to placement and rotation in the horizontal plane. Instead, the valve plate 130 may be oriented such that it rotates in any other plane that is convenient such as the vertical plane shown in FIG. 10.

The present invention is more readily adapted for use with two sinks and a single valve assembly that was my prior patent. For example, with a valve plate 130 positioned for rotation in the vertical plane, as shown in FIG. 10, a cover is placed over chamber 96. A conduit 172 having a T-fitting 174 is in communication with the valve plate 130 and terminates in conduit branches 176a and 176k. Two members 28a and 28b, having chambers 30a and'30b and apertures 34a and 3411, are coupled to conduit branches 176a and 176b, respectively. Each of the members 28a and' 28bhas its own complement of needles as described above.

Referring once again to FIG. 6 and to the timing chart, an alternative embodiment of this invention will now be discussed. When it is desired to use distilled or deionized water as the final wash liquid after washing first with tap water, the port 60 must be isolated from ports 56 and 58. In

other words, the continuity of fluid passageways 52 and 54 must be interrupted. This is done by inserting a substantially fluidtight plug into a threaded portion 180 formed in the passageway 54. An Allen type set screw, preferably integral sealing means, will suffice. It should be noted that the threaded portion 180 is located intermediate ports 58 and 60. Thus, either distilled or deionized water can be introduced into the passageway 54 through an inlet 182 and the tap water can still be introduced into the passageway 52 through the inlet 50. Because the two types of wash waters do not intermix, the arrangement just described effectively provides an additional wash step in each cycle without increasing either the size or complexity of the apparatus. Further, the apparatus may very easily be modified in the field to either add or subtraet thedifferent wash step and this is done without special Approximate time in seconds Still another feature of this invention brought out by FIG. 9 is that the wash and rinse waters are not permitted to collect in the body portion 40. Instead they are drained immediately after each such injection and prior to an injection of air or steam as shown by steps II, V and VII. Drain steps X and XII, after injection of air or steam in steps IX and XI, assure complete drainage before the entire cycle is repeated.

It was mentioned above that the present invention eliminates the flapper valve described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,545. Therefore, to provide the same function, the sifrfeaf'me valve plate 130 that is in opposition to the body portion 40 serves to seal all of the ports except those that are registered with apertures at any given time. By way of contrast, in my prior patent, a single opening in the cam plate registered successively with the body portion ports and thus it was necessary to provide a flapper valve to drain the apparatus during its operation. I have found however that the flapper valve can be eliminated by accurately locating a plurality of differently functioning valve plate apertures with respect to the ports in the body, portion 40. The present construction, in

tools or skills and without the need for machining.

As used in the foregoing description and in the appended claims, the term steam or air" indicates that both mediums perform the same function. As such, either medium may be used without altering the operation of the apparatus. Where the terms distilled and dc-ionized water are used, they are also functionally interchangeable and may be so used without altering the operation of the apparatus.

Having thus disclosed the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

1. Washing apparatus for open ended ampuls, vials or the like, said apparatus comprising:

a. housing;

b. a threading plate disposed in said housing, said threading plate having a plurality of apertures therein adapted to receive the articles to be washed with the open ends thereof facing downwardly;

c. a plurality of hollow, elongated needles secured in said housing with the first end of each of said needles spacedly opposed to one of the apertures in said threading plate;

d. a control valve for cycling the flow of at least two different fluids to the second end of each of said needles, said valve comprising;

1. A body portion having a plurality of angularly spaced ports in communication with the sources of different fluids and at least one port arranged to drain and fluids from said body portion, the drain port being on a diameter difierent from that of the remainder of the body portion ports which are located on first and second different diameters, the body portion ports on the first different diameter being in communication with the wash water and steam or air supplies, the body portion ports on the second different diameter being in communication with a rinse water supply;

2. A valve plate having a surface in opposition to the ports in said body portion and a plurality of angularly spaced ports, at least one of the valve plate apertures being on the same diameter as the body portion ports other than the drain port; and

3. Means for rotating said valve plate whereby the apertures therein are sequentially registered with selected ones of the body portion ports, the remainder of the body portion ports being sealed by said valve plate surface.

2. The device is accordance with claim 1 wherein the apertures in said valve plate that are on the same diameter as the first diameter ports in said body portion is comprised of a single cluster of relatively small sized apertures.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the apertures in said valve plates that are on the same diameter as the second diameter ports in said body portion is comprised of a series of angularly spaced apertures.

4. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the body portion ports and the valve plate apertures are arranged so that wash water and rinse water are injected substantially simultaneously.

5. The device in accordance with claim 1 including means to fluidly isolate at least one of the wash water ports from the remainder of the wash water ports.

6. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the body portions ports and the valve plate apertures are arranged to cycle alternately with wash water and steam or air, the cycle being repeated at least twice followed by at least one injection of steam or air. 

1. Washing apparatus for open ended ampuls, vials or the like, said apparatus comprising: a. housing; b. a threading plate disposed in said housing, said threading plate having a plurality of apertures therein adapted to receive the articles to be washed with the open ends thereof facing downwardly; c. a plurality of hollow, elongated needles secured in said housing with the first end of each of said needles spacedly opposed to one of the apertures in said threading plate; d. a control valve for cycling the flow of at least two different fluids to the second end of each of said needles, said valve comprising;
 1. A body portion having a plurality of angularly spaced ports in communication with the sources of different fluids and at least one port arranged to drain and fluids from said body portion, the drain port being on a diameter different from that of the remainder of the body portion ports which are located on first and second different diameters, the body portion ports on the first different diameter being in communication with the wash water and steam or air supplies, the body portion ports on the second different diameter being in communication with a rinse water supply;
 2. A valve plate having a surface in opposition to the ports in said body portion and a plurality of angularly spaced ports, at least one of the valve plate apertures being on the same diameter as the body portion ports other than the drain port; and
 3. Means for rotating said valve plate whereby the apertures therein are sequentially registered with selected ones of the body portion ports, the remainder of the body portion ports being sealed by said valve plate surface.
 2. The device is accordance with claim 1 wherein the apertures in said valve plate that are on the same diameter as the first diameter ports in said body portion is comprised of a single cluster of relatively small sized apertures.
 2. A valve plate having a surface in opposition to the ports in said body portion and a plurality of angularly spaced ports, at least one of the valve plate apertures being on the same diameter as the body portion ports other than the drain port; and
 3. Means for rotating said valve plate whereby the apertures therein are sequentially registered with selected ones of the body portion ports, the remainder of the body portion ports being sealed by said valve plate surface.
 3. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the apertures in said valve plates that are on the same diameter as the second diameter ports in said body portion is comprised of a series of angularly spaced apertures.
 4. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the body portion ports and the valve plate apertures are arranged so that wash water and rinse water are injected substantially simultaneously.
 5. The device in accordance with claim 1 including means to fluidly isolate at least one of the wash water ports from the remainder of the wash water ports.
 6. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the body portions ports and the valve plate apertures are arranged to cycle alternately with wash water and steam or air, the cycle being repeated at least twice followed by at least one injection of steam or air. 